


I'll Need Two Letters of Resignation

by marilynthedork



Series: Zone of Short Stories [5]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Gen, I'm not sure what to tag this, Post-Canon, i love brad, perfect square orc, spoilers for the whole show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-04 03:37:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16339094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marilynthedork/pseuds/marilynthedork
Summary: A few days after the End of the World, Brad turns in his two-weeks notice.





	I'll Need Two Letters of Resignation

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a fic about Brad and how he is such a loveable square but it turned into Lucretia Experiences An Emotion? Whoops.

Now that he has had a few days to process what happened during the End of the World (or whatever name the historians will give the Hunger's attack) and to begin digesting the 100 years of information broadcasted to everyone, Brad fills out his letter of resignation.

 

As he states in his letter, he's not leaving because of the End of the World. Well,  _ technically  _ he is, but not because of the mental strain. It has more to do with the fact that there's nothing left for him to do at the Bureau of Balance. So, he fills out the necessary forms, signs on the dotted lines, folds them all neatly into an envelope, and puts them in The Director-  _ Lucretia's  _ office box. Then, he gets started on the last HR papers left on his desk. He has two weeks to complete them, after all.

 

The next week, Miss Lucretia walks into his office, "You're still here? I thought you had left?"

 

"No ma'am, I'm still employed for… another six days," Brad says after counting the days on his calendar.

 

"Everyone's gone to be with their families," Lucretia sighs. Though she doesn't say it out loud, the ' _ except for me'  _ is so heavily implied, she doesn't need to, "Or they're helping clean up the des- wait, six days?"

 

"Yes ma'am," Brad's causal smile falters, "Unless you didn't approve my paperwork, but I'm not sure why you wouldn't."

 

"Resignation?" She looks baffled, which confuses Brad, Are you… quitting?" 

 

"I sent you my two-week's notice last week. Have you not seen it yet?" Brad asks, then realization dawns on him, "Oh, of course, silly me. I should have told you in person that I turned it in. You've probably been so busy with everything that you haven't had time. My mistake. I can stay for an extra week if you need me too?"

 

Lucretia grips her long red robe, one of  _ the  _ Red Robes, a bit tighter, "You're seriously trying to leave, aren't you?"

 

"That was my intention, yes ma'am."

 

"Why?"

 

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Brad gestures around himself, "The Bureau succeeded, Lucretia; it's accomplished its goal. There aren't any more Relics to collect. There's not a lot left to…  _ do _ . And now, everyone knows we exist, so there isn't any reason to stay secretive."

 

"Not a lot left to-" Lucretia looks pained, and Brad takes this brief moment to attempt to make the aged woman he sees before him match up with the plucky, young lady he heard about in the Story. He's seen glimpses of that playfulness, even before the Story, but it was under layers of careful composure and a decade's worth of grief; a century's worth of barely surviving, "Brad, there's… there's so much to do. Neverwinter… look at Neverwinter alone. Huge sections of it are just- leveled."

 

"Yes, I've heard. Carey and Avi went down there on Monday. It sounds pretty desolate," Brad agrees, "But once I leave here, I plan to help rebuild the elementary school. Did you know I used to be a kindergarten teacher? I would love to do that again."

 

"...Honestly, that explains a lot about you, Brad," Lucretia huffs out the smallest laugh and smiles faintly. She looks  _ so _ exhausted, he can't help the sudden urge to shoo her off to bed. He doesn't act on it, but it's there.

 

"Like my proposed Mandatory Nap Time?" Brad chuckles softly, "Look, studies have shown that napping improves a person's mood and their focus. It's not just for small children."

 

"I was thinking more about your gold star stickers, but yes, that as well," she sighs, and her smile is once again replaced by a hard line, "So, you really want to resign, huh?"

 

"Well, like I said, I thought the Bureau would be shutting its doors soon anyway," he shrugs, "But yes, I really do want to leave. It was wonderful helping here while I could, but it was… lonely. No one knew what we were doing up here. They didn't even know we were  _ here. _ "

 

When she bristles, he realizes that what he said was along the same vein as complaining to a blind person that a room was too dark to see well.

 

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive," he apologizes.

 

"No, you're right," Lucretia admits, "I was so focused on my plan, on executing it perfectly, that I hid myself away. I hid it from the world. I hid it from  _ my own family.  _ I can't imagine what they felt like when they suddenly couldn't think of someone who had been so important to them. Johann, Angus, Boyland…"  _ Lup.  _ "They all didn't exist anymore. I took them away from the world. But it's going to be different now."

 

"Different?" Brad tilts his head in confusion.

 

"I'm going to reestablish the Bureau," She nods, resolutely, "But it won't be Balance anymore. I'm not sure what I'm going to call it, but it's going to be better. It  _ has  _ to be better this time. No more secrets, no more hidden motives. I've broken enough here already, it's time I started fixing things."

 

Brad wonders if his boss has a few levels in bard, because he's imbued with the same feelings Johann's Song had given him.  _ She's going to put all of herself into this, and she's going to succeed.  _ "I believe that is a very admirable goal, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out."

 

"I understand if you still want to retire," she says, and it sounds like she's truly accepted it. Sometimes, Brad has learned, people say 'oh I understand' as a way to fish for attention, "I wouldn't want to work here, either, not after the hell I put all of you through. It's going to be hard to earn people's trust again,"  _ Taako specifically,  _ "But I'm determined to try to amend things."

 

"Where are you planning to start?"

 

"Neverwinter. They suffered the brunt of the Hunger's attack," She says, "But before that, I think I need to track down Lucas and improve on our base of operation. Maybe Avi and he can find a way to make the canons safer for frequent travel. That is, if Avi even still wants to be here…"

 

"Miss Lucretia?" Brad asks meekly.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt, you seemed to be on a roll there," he smiles sheepishly, "But, uh, may I have my resignation letter back? I would like to revise it."

 

"Really? What for?"

 

"Well, I think I want to extend my two weeks," Brad smiles, "And after Neverwinter is rebuilt, I would like a summer position."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Maybe I'll do a second chapter where Brad gets to live his life. I have,,, many ideas for that.
> 
> Also thank everqueen for my entire life. She encourages me to keep writing so much. The entire TFW discord server does but shoutout to her especially. Love you.


End file.
